Since the last diary entry, things have moved along quite substantially. With the Treasury deciding to raise the base rate of interest, this has prompted us to act with slightly more urgency as currently the mortgage products on offer are pretty attractive.
In a short time, two properties fitting our criteria in various ways came onto the market. These were both 2 bedroom houses quite close to one another, in the right location, one with a driveway, one without. Both had a garden as required. We arranged viewings for both, and found that one we decided very quickly was not appropriate, mostly due to size, and on first viewing my girlfriend wasn't massively keen on the specific area that the other home was situated in. Having said that, the property itself was a very good size compared to others that we had seen, and had a substantial garden. I made a mental note of this property, with it in mind that it might actually be a good home.
In the meantime, we did actually put in a speculative low offer on the 3 bedroom home that we viewed previously. This offer was declined, and upon second viewing with our parents, we all agreed that the access to the house was too much of an issue to increase our offer. We also then had some frank discussion with parents about our budget and what we might find, and whether it would be worth extending our budget.
We arranged a viewing (together with the parents) of a property that was out of our budget, but indicative of what was available if we were to add on a few extra thousands of pounds (!!!). Actually, the 3 bedroom home with a garage that we saw did need too much work, and felt small, so it was quite easy for us all to walk away from that experience agreeing that this was not the home for us!
A dark horse was introduced to the race, in the form of a high street building converted into a maisonette and a flat. This property was actually very attractive to us, particularly in terms of the size of the property for a very reasonable price. Access was an issue with this home, and we felt that even though it was finished to a high standard and we really could see ourselves living there, that given the advice we received, it was best to move on.
Once we had made this decision, I raised the 2 bedroom house that we had viewed earlier in the week where my girlfriend hadn't been sure of the location. I suggested that we take the dogs for a walk around the street and the neighbourhood, to try to get a feel for the area. We were both actually very surprised at how friendly all the people we saw were, and how the area felt. It was clear that we should arrange a second viewing, and we did actually put in a speculative offer prior to this.
Taking the parents to the second viewing, they very much agreed with our assessment, and thus we decided to offer the asking price for the home, simply because other properties in the area that we are searching are tending to sell quite quickly. Our offer was accepted! Now the conveyancing process begins.........Exciting!
Having bought through Cameron, i felt they kept me update to date with everything that was going on. There was no hassle arranging viewings, and they helped me all the way through the process. Good, efficient service. Will definitely recommend!
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